Tuesday, December 15, 2009

#16 Album of 2009: Ambivalence Avenue - Bibio

Ambivalence Avenue and its critical acclaim this past summer confused just about everyone. Attracting newcomers who didn’t quite understand the levels of hype and Bibio faithfuls who couldn’t anticipate the record’s variety, Ambivalence Avenue requires some backtracking to understanding all that’s mind-blowing about these twelve songs. As it turns out, this album is only groundbreaking compared to the rest of Wilkinson’s discography, culminating with Vignetting the Compost, released a mere three months earlier. Incorporating crunchy beats, clearer vocals and forays into funk and hip hop, Bibio’s Warp debut is, if nothing else, a sudden and massive artistic leap forward; that rare statement record courtesy of someone we all cast off as a one-trick pony. Thank you, Mr. Wilkinson, for calling our bluff.